Lubricator



'" March s, 1927.

F. w.. MARTIN l LUBRICATOR Filed opt. 125,"1923 2 sheets-sheen A INVENTOR u l f77,"

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

UNTE STTE Flild FFICE.

FREDERICK .W. MARTN, OF BRGOKLYN, NEW YOR,-ASSG1\TOR T0 FRANKLIN RAIL;

WAY SUPPLY CGMPANY, .A CORPGRATON OF DELAWARE. I

LUBRCATOR.

Application led October 12, 1923. Serial lilo; 668,049.

My invention relates to lubricatorsV for axle boxes, particularly the-driving boxes of locomotives. I aim to facilitate the packing of such axle lubricators with grease and their insertion in the axle box, and to insure proper operating adjustment of the lubri cator after insertion. The embodiment of my invention here illustrated and described resembles somewhat the device shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,423,502 to Mitchell, granted July 18, 1922, and since assigned to the assignee of this application. However, my invention presents valuable distinctive features of its own, as will hereinafter appear. l

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view of a driving box and lubricator embodying my invention, as seen from the inner side of the box, i. e., the side away from thecorresponding driver. Y

Fig. 2 shows vertical axial section through the box and various associated parts, taken as indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a spreader with which the driving box shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is provided.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the lubricator proper or cellar shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The driving box 5 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is in the main of standard type and construction. Between its sides or legs 6 is mounted a spreader 7, held in place by pins 8 extending through apertured lugs 9 on the legs 6 at either side of the axle 10 and similar lugs 11 at the bottom of the spreader. its shown, the headed pins 8 are secured by cotter pins 12 through their inner ends. The lubricator 15 has thc usual cellar form: it rests on the spreader 7 with a loose vlit in the box 5, so that it can be slid in and out readily. It is provided with the usual forami nous or perforated cover 15, and with the usual grease cake follower plate 17. This follower 17 is urged upward by a helical compression spring 18 centered about a boss 19 on the cellar bottonnso as to press the grease through the cover 16 against the axle 10, and is provided with an indicator rod 2O and a pull chain 21 extending down through openings in the cellar bottom and in the spreader 7. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the opening .2Oit that accommodates the indicator 20 is in the nature of a slot or notch in the corresponding (inner) edge of the spreader 7, so as to permit the cellar 15 to be inserted or removed with its follower 17 depressed as in Figs. 1, 2, or 4. Stop means to limit the endwise movement of the cellar 15 when inserted, and prevent it from sliding through the box 5, may advantageously have the form of a lug 15a on the inner end of the 'cellar 15. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the inner edge of the spreader 7 has a recess 7a over the outer end of the slot 20a, to accommodate the downward projecting lug 15a. rlhe indictor 20 shows at a glance how much grease is left in the cellar 15 at any time, and when Yrefilling or packing is necessary. Vifhen the cellar 15 is removed from the box 5, rod 20 and chain 21 afford a convenient means of drawing down the follower 17 for repacling. Normally, the cellar 15 is retained in the box 5 by a securing member in the form of a rod or holding pin 22 extending across the inner end of the box, through apeitured lugs 23 at either side. In the presentr instance, these lugs 23 are attached to the spreader 7 (Fig. 3) rather than to the box sides 6. rlhe holding pin 22 engages in a halferound seat 24 outstanding from the end of the cellar 15. y

Inasinuch as the cellar 15 must generally be inserted in the box 5 with a new grease cake, it is desirable to provide for relieving the correspondingly heavy follower tension due to the spring 18 when the cellar is being inserted. As here shown, this is accomu plished by holding down the follower 17. For this purpose, one or more rods or pins 25 (Fig. 4) can be inserted through holes 26 in the ends of the cellar 15 above the follower 17 when drawn down (as shown in Fig. 4) after removal of the cellar 15 from the box 5, as described above, and removal of the cover 1G and the old grease cake. With the follower 17 thus held down, a fresh grease cake of the form shown in Fig. 1 may be placed in the cellar 15 over the pins 25, the cover 16 replaced, and the repaclred cellar slid linto the box 5 without the cover 16 even toucl'iing the super]l acent axlev 10.

From comparison of Figs. 1 and 4, it will readily be seen that after the repacked cellar 15 has been reinserted in the box 5 as just described, the bent over outer ends of the pins 25 will project or protrude in the way of the rod 22 and interfere with or block its application to secure the cellar in place, i. e.; the rod 22 cannot be inserted through both lugs 23 without Vbeing forcibly bent. In

other words, the rod 22 and the pins 25 have an interlocking relation that insures against the pins 25 being carelessly left in place and rendering the lubricator inoperative. Only after the pins 25 have both been withdrawn, and the grease-feeding tension thus reestablished by release of the follower 17, can the member 22 be properly applied.

I claim:

l. The combination with an axle box, its lubricating cellar, and the'follower plate 0f the latter, of means for securing the cellar in the box, and means for removing the follower tension from the axle for insertion of the cellar in the box, said means 4being adapted to interfere with said securing means, so that the cellar cannot be secured until the tension has been established on the axle.

2. The combination with an axle box, its lubricating cellar, and the follower plate of the latter, of a securing memberl adapted to extend across the box to retain the cellar therein, and means for temporarily holding down the follower for insertion of the cellar in the box positioned to block the insertion of the securing means until said means are removed and the follower is released.

8. The combination with an axle box and apertured lugs at one end thereof, and a lubricating cellar with its follower plate,

Leaders of a holdinO` pin for the cellar extending through saiclugs, and one or more pins for holding down the followerl for insertion of the cellar in the box protruding from the latter in the way of said holding pin, so as to prevent insertion of the latter in both lugs until the follower holding pins are themselves removed. v

4. An axle box structure comprising a spreader member, a cellar member, a follower plate in the cellar, follower retaining means, and cellar retaining means, said follower retaining means extending into the path of the cellar retaining means whereby to prevent application of the cellar retaining means when the follower retaining means is in place.

5. The combination with an axle box, its lubricating cellar, and the follower plate of the latter, of a spreader for the box carrying securing means for holding the cellar in the box, and means for removing the follower tension from the axle for insertion of the cellar in the box, said means being adapted FREDERICK W. MARTIN. 

